This invention relates to lubricant injection, more particularly a lubricant injector, a method of operation thereof, a lubricant injector system embodying the injector of the invention, a method of improving the performance of existing lubricant injector systems, and an injector/connector assembly.
The invention is especially concerned with a lubricant injector for use in a single-line lubrication system, a method of operation of the injector, a single-line system embodying one or more lubricant injectors, a method of improving the performance of existing systems, and an injector/connector assembly. The term “connector” as used herein means the structure, such as a manifold or a single-outlet means for connecting a plurality of injectors or a single injector with a lubricant supply line.
The invention involves a major improvement in an extensive series of injectors, lubricant injector systems and injector/connector assemblies developed by predecessors of the assignee of this invention, Lincoln Industrial Corporation of St. Louis, Mo., going back as far as 1937, reference being made to the following U.S. patents tracing the development:
U.S. Pat. No.Issue DateTitle2,122,177Jun. 28, 1938Injector2,141,022Dec. 20, 1938Lubricating Apparatus2,155,250Apr. 18, 1938Injector2,162,898Jun. 20, 1939Relief Device ForLubricating Apparatus2,206,335Jul. 2, 1940Lubricating Apparatus2,283,638May 19, 1942Injector2,292,294Aug. 4, 1942Relief Valve2,328,812Sep. 7, 1943Venting Apparatus2,358,719Sep. 19, 1944Injector Valve Packing2,448,583Sep. 7, 1948Lubricant Injector2,627,320Feb. 3, 1953Lubricating System2,637,413May 5, 1953Lubricant Injector3,013,633Dec. 19, 1961Lubricant Injector3,609,066Sep. 28, 1971Lubricant Injection System
Of special note are two prior injectors sold by Lincoln Industrial Corporation (and its predecessor), namely, injectors sold under the trademarks Series SL-1 and SL-32. While these prior injectors have been quite satisfactory in many lubrication system installations, they have the characteristic of being slow to vent for recharging of the injectors for the next dispensing cycle, especially when, for example, the line for supplying the lubricant is relatively long and/or the lubricant is viscous, as during cold weather. Venting (recharging) time may be as high as five hours or more for prior injectors. Further, the SL-1, SL-32 and other prior injectors which are assembled with a supply manifold (the connector) have the characteristic of requiring disconnection of the lubricant line servicing the injectors prior to removal of an injectors or injectors from the manifold for inspection or replacement, and re-connection of the lubricant line following the assembly of the inspected or replacement injector(s) with the manifold.